Subtle Clues The R Chapter
by Kavi Leighanna
Summary: What happened between Chrismas Eve and Christmas Morning


**Chapter 19a **

**Together__**

****

_"Love is the triumph of imagination over intelligence."_

_--H.L. Mencken_

_-_

_"Love is everything it's cracked up to be… It really is worth fighting for, being brave for, risking everything for."_

_--Erica Jong_

_-_

He wasted little time in divesting her of her blouse, his hands obviously working much better than hers. The experienced became the controlled. Her hand shook with arousal as she attempted to get the small buttons of his dress shirt undone. He grinned as he kissed her neck, his hands helping hers with the frustrating buttons. Once undone, his shirt parted easily and her fingers took advantage of the bared flesh ash she caressed his chest. His fingers were no idler than hers as he attacked her bare flesh at the same time their lips crashed together again.

Her muscles contracted under his touch as he ran his fingers down her naval, following her waistline to the zipper at her hip. She moaned as he pulled it down, grazing her skin with his fingertips.

She in turn attacked his pants, undoing the fly and button, slipping her hand in and grasping his more than evident erection. Catherine groaned as he reached behind her and unclasped her bra. He guided it off of her shoulders. It fell to her living room floor and Grissom sent a mental prayer that Lindsey wouldn't make it down before either he or Catherine got a chance to clean up.

She continued her caresses, her hand in his pants and her other running up and down his chest. Their lips continued to attach each other, tongues duelling, neither totally dominating nor submitting.

At least until her fingers passed over his nipple.

He bucked into her, dislodging her hand, to both his relief and displeasure. She had found a new source of amusement, however, and her other hand tested his other nipple.

His retaliation was swift and something she could not ignore. He attached his mouth to her breast. She gasped, threading her hands through his salt and pepper hair. He continued to worship her, both of them naked to the waist, both with undone pants.

He quickly corrected that, removing his mouth from her chest and dragging his hands down her legs, taking her pants with him. He lifted his eyes to hers as he stood, following her heaving chest, and their gaze held as she returned the favour. Her fingers cooperated this time as she made quick work of the pants.

"Bedroom," he panted as he took time to take in her near-naked form.

"Couch," she replied, too far gone to have to consider making the trip up the stairs. He was adamant.

"Bedroom." He lifted her around the waist, forcing her to wrap her legs around him for stability. They both groaned softly, even subconsciously aware of little Lindsey upstairs asleep. She couldn't stop him as he fastened his mouth on her neglected breast and carried her up the stairs.

He laid her reverently in the middle of her bed, her hair spread on the pillows. As clichéd as it sounded, she was an angel to him; always had been and always would be. Best of all, she was going to marry him.

"I love you," he whispered as he pulled off her final barrier.

"And I love you," she replied, the words flowing off her tongue as natural as it was for her to breathe. She aided him in the removal of her panties by lifting her hips and the blue material was thrown behind them, probably somewhere in the vicinity of the foot of her bed. She reciprocated the action, pulling his boxers off of him and allowing her a chance to finally see him, really see him. She forgot that she too was naked in front of the man who had seen her naked in every other way, especially emotionally. That forgetfulness was dispensed with as soon as she met his eyes. Adoration, total, complete, unadulterated adoration shone in his gaze, made wild by the passion and desire stewing underneath. She felt herself go hot with something akin to embarrassment.

"What?" she whispered.

"You're so beautiful," he responded, kissing her slowly, thoroughly. Desire stirred in her again, rearing its head persistently. Her body responded by bucking her hips involuntarily into his.

That was all it took.

His kisses became hot and demanding suddenly, his control hanging on by the miniscule thread he didn't realize he had. She responded in kind, giving as much as she was taking. Her world spun and the room went fuzzy as his hand connected with her centre. She wasn't surprised that she was completely drenched, her core wanting him, yearning for him. He played for a few minutes before positioning himself above her. She was more than ready for him as he slid into her welcoming depths with a quiet moan. She arched into him as he stilled, not wanting to wait, wanting to feel him move within her. He obliged more than willingly, withdrawing and plunging back in. She met each of his thrusts with one of her own, matching his rhythm with ease and the supple grace she always displayed. It didn't take long for the rhythm to increase, especially after their earlier games.

Suddenly she gasped and arched hard against him, her toes curling and nails digging into his back. He followed her over the cliff, her inner muscles milking him of everything he had to offer.

He rolled off of her carefully, making sure to keep some sort of contact with her. She lay there, eyes closed and heart rate still eratic. It took her several minutes to calm down and snuggle into the embrace he wrapped her in.

"I've never been so content," she admitted as her head securely found the crook of his shoulder.

"I can't say I have been either," he replied with such sincerity it made Catherine smile.

"I love you, Catherine."

"I love you too, Gil."

-

She awoke only half an hour later to find him out of her bed. She grabbed her robe and headed downstairs to find out where he'd gone. She found him in the living room, neatly piling their clothes on the table, Lindsey's gifts from "Santa" sitting just in front of the Christmas tree.

"Gil?" He looked up at her, a large, contented grin spreading across his face.

"I'll only be a couple of minutes," he replied, proceeding to set the gifts under the tree.

"Come back to bed."

"Some one had to clean up our mess. Unless, that is, you'd like your daughter to know about your evening exercises?" Catherine smirked as he rewarded her with one of his half smiles.

"No, I wouldn't." He smiled fully at her and proceeded. Once he was done, he retrieved their clothes.

"I can see the look on her face if she'd found out," Catherine whispered at the top of the stairs, swaying her hips deliberately as she walked back into their room. Grissom grinned playfully shaking his head.

"You, Miss Willows, will be the death of me."

"Well, Mr. Grissom, wouldn't it be one hell of a way to go."

-

I cannot believe I just wrote this. Trust me, I didn't expect it to quite end up like this.

Thanks to all who indulged in my fantasies… okay not really, but we can all pretend, right? Back to the original story and CHRISTMAS MORNING!!!__

_Coming soon…****_

**Lindsey and the lab learn of the engagement (aka, the end)__**

_Still working on Blossoming__. I swear I haven't forgotten about it!_

Kavi Leighanna


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